Automatic leveling device for elevators



P 3 c. R. CALLAWAY 1,821,613

AUTOMATIC LEVELING DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS Filed Aug. 25, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. '1, 1931. c. R.. CALLAWAY 1,321,613

AUTOMATIC LEY-ELING DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS Filed Aug. 25, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 /5 /3 /4 X ll Q1 5' 5 I v I 4 /08. f

' IN VEN TOR ATTORNEY Sept. 1, 1931. c. R. CALLAWAY A J'IOIMVL'IC LEVELING DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS Filed Aug. 25, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 a 11v VENTOR 5W 5 A TTOR NE Y Patented Sept. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLARENCE R. CALLA WAY, OF HONESDALE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 GURNEY ELEVATOR COMPANY, INC., OF HONESDALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA AUTOMATIC LEVELING DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS Application filed August 25, 1922. Serial No. 584,347.

This invention relates to elevator control mechanism. The invention more particularly pertains to control mechanism for elevators in which the stopping of the car is automaticall controlled and by means of which the car is rought to the proper level.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a control mechanism constructed and arranged to automatically compensate for variations in the weight of the load carried by the elevator.

Another object of the invention is to provide automatically operable leveling mechanism by means of which an elevator is brought to the desired floor level at a very slow or creeping speed.

Another object of the invention is to provide automatic control mechanism for leveling an elevator car with a landing, so constructed and arranged that this action is brought about by means of the hoisting or main motor.

Another object of the invention is to proin connection with the drawings which form a part of this application and in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view showing the automatically opera ting circuit control mechanism', these parts being shown in their inoperative position.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the parts in operating position.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the wiring connections and cooperating parts by means of which the system is carried out.

Fig. 4 is a wiring diagram showing 'the wiring connections reduced to their simplest terms. 1

;Fig. 5 is a detail elevation showing the connection of the automatic leveling control apparatus to the elevator car, and

Fig. 6 is an elevational view showing somewhat diagrammatically an elevator car having the automatic leveling mechanism mounted thereon.

The invention, briefly described, comprises leveling mechanism mounted on a car and operable when the car is in the landing zone, by means of cams supported in the path of the operative parts in the elevator hatchway. The cam operated members comprise a pair of levers adapted to close a motor circuit when the elevator control lever is swung into neutral and when one of the levers engages one of the cams. When one of these motor circuits is closed the main hoisting motor will be automatically connected in the circuit and will raise or lower the car as desired. The circuits may also include switches for con- .necting a low resistance circuit across the motor armature thereby causing the motor to run at very slow or creeping speed. This leveling mechanism may be connected to operate automatically when the elevator control lever is thrown intpfneutral and the car is in a landing zone or if desired the action may be made depeiident upon a switch under the control of the operator so that in case the operator has no difliculty in leveling the car the mechanism need not be used.

Referring first to Fig. 3 the main driving connections or motor control circuits will first be described. The main line circuits are shown at A and B, the former being the positive and the latter the negative. The positive lead A is connected through a wire 10 to one end 11 of the elevator control lever 12.

The lever 12 is adapted to contact in its neutral position with a blade 13 and also is adapted to be moved into contact with blades and up drives of the motor. Additional contacts 16 and 17 may alsobe provided in the path of the control lever 12 when the device is used with direct current and these contacts are connected toeach other by a wire 18 and are also connected in a manner hereinafter described to a solenoid control switch C by the opening of which the motor field circuit is weakened thereby increasing the motor speed. In other words, contacts 16 and 17 will give a high speed operation of the motor.

The contacts 14 and 15 are connectetkhyg,

wires 20 and 21 to magnet coils 22 and 23 of motor control switches D and E. The opposite ends of the coils are connected by a wire 24 to a wire 25 which in turn is connected to the negative main 26.

The hoisting motor M is shunt wound having a field 27 The field coil 27 is connected at one end by a wire 28 to the negative main 26 and has its other end connected at 29 to a wire 30 the opposite end of which is connected to a contact 31 of the switch C. The other contact 32 of this switch is connected by a wire 33 at a point 34 to the positive main 10. Thus, when the switch C is closed, the field current will pass through wires 10, 33,

contacts 32 and 31, wire 30, field coil 27 and wire 28, back to the negative main 26. The high speed contacts 16 and 17, however, are connected by a wire to the magnet coil of the switch C and the opposite end of this coil is connected at 41 to the negative main 26. Thus, when the elevator car switch 12 engages either of thecontacts 16 or 17, the circuit will be closed through the coil of the switch C and the switch will thereby be opened. The opening of the switch will cause the field circuit to pass from the positive main 10 at the point 34 to 'a wire 42 and thence through a resistance R to the'field coil 27 and back to the negative main 26. This circuit increases the field resistance thereby weakening the field and effecting a high speed motor operation.

The circuits through the switch D are connected at to a wire 51 which leads from the positive main- 10 to a switch contact 52. The opposite contact 53 has connected thereto a wire 54 which in turn is connected at 55 to awire 56 and the latter wire is connected to one side of the motor-armature. The opposite side of the armature is connected by wire 57 to a wire 58 and the wire 58 is connected to a contact 59 of the switch D. The contact 60 opposite this contact 59 is con nected to the negative main 26.

Thus when the switch D is closed the mo- .tor circuit will pass from the main 10 through wire 51, contacts 52 and 53 and the connecting switch blade, wire 54 and wire 56,

to one side of the motor armature. From the other side of the motor armature this circuit passes through wire 57 to wire 58 and thence through contact .59, switch blade and contact 60- to the negative main 26. It is usual to provide a starting resistance in the motor armature circuit which is autois in neutral position and when the car is in the leveling vzone. This mechanism is car: ried by a block 80 (Figs. 1 and 5) slidably supported in vertical guideways 80A on the car and the block 80 is connected to the car through a link 81 and lever 82. The lever 82 is pivoted to the car frame member 83 and has secured to its free end beyond the pivot a link 84. The link 84 is bolted as shown at 85 to a plate 86, this plate being carried by the free ends of the hoisting rods 87 which in turn are connected to the hoisting cables 88.

Springs 89 are interposed between the plate 86 and-the frame member 83. In order to dampen the action of the lever 82 or the vibration thereof, a dash pot 90 may be provided, mounted on the member 83 and connected by means of a piston rod 90 to the lever.

' The object of connecting the leveling. mechanism to the car in the manner just described is to compensate automatically for variations in the load carried by the car. When the operator desires to stop the ascending car at a floor and moves the lever 12 to its central position at such a'time that it would cause the car to come to rest slightly below the floor, the automatic leveling device will have to close the motor circuits a longer time to bring the car to the desired level when the car is heavily loaded than when it has a light load. 01' if the car has a tendency to stop above the desired landing, the motor circuits .need be closed a shorter time to bring the car to the desired .level. I By automatically adjusting the ver- 'tical position of the leveling mechanism or.

the car by means of the lever and spring take-up mechanism, the leveling mechanism closes the motor circuits for the length of time necessary to bring the car to the desired level.

The leveling mechanism comprises a magnet 100 fixedly secured to the block 80 and an armature 101 carried by a-block 102 horizontally slidable on the block 80, these parts being dovetailed together as shown at 103 (Fig. 5). The magnet coil 100 is connected as shown in Fig. 3 at one end by a wire '104 to the negative main2 6 andthe opposite end of the coil is connected to a contact 105 of a pedal operable switch S. The opposite contact 106 of the switch is connected by a wire 107 to the neutral contact 13 of the car switch. The switch S is optional and may be dispensed with if desired, in which case the contacts 105 and 106 will be connected by a wire. This switch, however, enables the operator to control the car and to bring the car to the floor level without the use of the automatic leveling mechanism where no difficulty is experienced in leveling the car.

When the car switch lever is thrown to neutral position andthe switch S is closed, if the'latter switch is used, the magnet coil 100 will be energized thereby causing the armature 101 and block 102 to slide horizontally relative to the block 80 to the position shown in Fig. 2. This relative movement brings the automatic leveling mechanism Into operative position.

The leveling mechanism comprises a pair of levers or lever arms 105' and 106 pivoted at 107' to the block 102 and carrying on their outer ends rollers 108'. The rollers 108 with the block 102 in its operative position are disposed in a position, when the car is in the leveling zone, to engage one or the other of a pair of cams X and Y mounted in the elevator hatchway. A set or cams is provided for each floor landing.

The lever arms 105' and 106 carry at their inner ends respectively contact members 109 and 110. These contacts are adapted to engage respectively contacts 111 and 112 which are connected together by wire 113. The wire 113 is connected by a wire 114 to the contact 106 of switch S. The arms 105 and 106 are normally held in the switch opening position of Fig. 1 by springs 109'.

If the car is descending and is in the leveling zone above the desired landing after the operator has centered the car switch, the cam X will engage the lever 105 and close switch contacts 109 and 111. This will cause the switch D to be actuated to close the motor circuit and the motor-will rotate to lower the car. The cam Y and lever arm 106 operate in a similar manner to cause the motor to rotate in a direction to raise the car.

An arrangement is shown in Fig. 3 in addition to the regular connections to the motor operating or control switches, for cutting down the speed of the motor and providing a creeping speed. This means C0111- prises a solenoid operated switch-T which when connected into the circuit is closed to connect the heavy low resistance 115 across the armature of the motor. The magnet C011 for the solenoid switch T has one end connected by a wire 117 to contacts 118 and 128 of switches P and Q. Contacts 119 and 129 of the switches P and Q are connected by a wire 120 and to the positive main 10 by wire 30. At the opposite ends of the switches P and Q are contacts 121 and 131 connected by a wire 132 and the latter wire is connected by the wires 133 and 30 to the positive main 10. The switches P and Q also have contacts 124 and 134 connected'respectively by wires 125 and 135 to the wires 20 and 21 of the down and up control switches respec- 'the lever is thrown to an extreme position the switch C is opened thereby placing the resistance R in the shunt field circuit and speeding up the motor.

WVhen the car is to be stopped the operator will swing the switch 12 to neutral position and when the car is in the leveling zone the switch S will be closed provided such a switch is used. This will complete'the circuit through the magnet coils 100 thereby moving the leveling mechanism to the position shown in Fig. 2 in which the lever arms 105 and 106 are operative. In case the arm 105 and roller 108 carried thereby engage the cam X the switch contacts 109 and 111 will be closed. The closing of these switch contacts will complete the circuit through the solenoid of switch P and thereby completing the circuit through the solenoid of the motor control switch D and also the circuit through the solenoid of switch '1". The switch T will connect the low resistance 115 across the motor armature thereby slowing down the motor to a creeping speed, it being understood that the starting resistance is in the line circuit at this time. The car will continue to move downwardly until the roller 108' runs 011 the cam X. The car will then be brought to a stop at the desired level. In case the lever arm 106 is actuated by the cam Y the circuit will be completed through the switch Q, the motor control switch E and also through the switch T. This will cause the car to creep up to the desired level.

'tively and thus to the actuating solenoids of If desired instead of leveling the car at a i creeping speed the ordinary slow speed operation of the motor may be utilized and in this case the parts will be connected as shown in Fig. 4. In this figure the contacts 109 and 110 are connected directly to the motor control switch coil leads 20 and 21 respectively by wires 151 and 150.

The following description may be taken as illustrative of the operation of the elevator by the connections above described. A car speed of approximately 200 feet per minute may be obtained through the contacts 14 and 15 in conjunction with the contacts 16 and 17 by means of which latter contacts the resistance R is connected into the field circuit. Utilizing only the contacts 14 and 15 a speed of approximately 125 feet per minute may be obtained. By means of the automatic leveling device through which the resistance 115 is connected across the armature thecar speed for leveling may be brought down to about 50 feet per minute.

Therefore if the system shown in Fig. 3 is utilized the car may be automatically leveled at a speed of 50 feet per minute whereas using the connection shown in Fig. 4 the ordinary slow speed will level the car at approximately 125 feet per minute From the above description it will be seen that mechanism has been provided by means of which an elevator car can be brought to the desiredfloor level automatically by the I operation of the main hoisting motor.- It

will also be evident that utilizing the auxiliary switches P and Q will enable the operator to effect this leveling at'a very slow or creeping speed. Furthermore the use of a leveling mechanism in conjunc tion with the lever and spring take-up connection to the car effects an automatic-compensation for the load carried by the car.

Although certain specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described it will be understood that the invention is capable of further modification and that further changes in the construction and in the arrangement of the various cooperating parts may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as ex ressed in the following claims.

hat I claim is: 1. In combination, an elevator car, a hoisting motor connected thereto, reversing switches for controlling the motor, a manually operated switch and an automatic leveling switch on the car arranged to control the reversing switches, circuits therefor, cams for actuating the leveling switch, means for moving the leveling switch bodily in a horizontal plane out of position to be actuated by the cams when the car switch is in position to control the reversing switches, and load controlled means for moving the leveling switch bodily in a vertical plane.

2. In combination, an elevator car, a hoisting motor connected. thereto, reversing switches for controlling the motor, a manually operated switch and an automatic leveling switch on the car arranged to control the reversing switches, circuits therefor, cams for actuating the leveling switch, means for moving the leveling switch bodily in a horizontal plane out of position to be actuated by the cams and for disconnecting its electrical circuits when the car switch is in position to control the reversing switches, and

load controlled means for moving the leveling switch bodily in a vertical plane.

3. In combination, an elevator car, a hoisting .motor connected thereto, reversing switches for controlling the motor, a manually operated switch and an automatic leveling switchon the car arranged-to control the reversing switch-es, circuits therefor, cams for actuating the levelin switch, means for moving the leveling switch bodily out of position to be actuated by the cams and for disconnecting its electrical circuits when the car switch is in position to control the revers-' ing switches, said motor having an armature and means in the leveling switch circuits for connecting a resistance across the motor armature.

4. In combination, an elevator car, a hoisting motor connected thereto, reversing switches for controlling the motor, a manually operated switch andan automatic leveling switch on the car arranged to control the reversing switches, circuits therefor, cams for actuating the leveling switch, means for moving the leveling switch bodily in a horizontal plane out of position to be actuated by the cams and for disconnecting its electrical circuits when the car switch is in position to control the reversing switches, and load controlled means for moving the leveling switch bodily in a vertical plane, said motor having an armature and means in the leveling switch circuits for connecting a resistance across the motor armature.

5. In combination, an elevator car arranged to run in a hatchway having landings, a hoisting motor connected to said car,

reversin switches for controlling the motor, a manna ly operated switch for controlling the reversing switches and an automatic switch on the car arranged to control the reversin switches at all landings, means in the hatchway adjacent the landings for actuating said switch, means responslve to load on the car to vary the positions at which said means and said automatic switch coopcrate, and means controlled by said manually operated switch for moving the automatic switch out of position to be actuated by said hatchway means.

6. In combination, an elevator car, a motor arranged to drive the car, manually controlled means for causing said motor to operate at predetermined speeds, other mechanism automatically controlled by the movement of the car rendered operative by putting said manually controlled means into neutral position to cause said motor to continue the movement of the car at a slower speed than accordance with variations of load on the car ing motor therefor having multi-speed regu-- to vary the point in relation to a landing at which the motor drive is discontinued, said cams being spaced to permit the car to coast.

7 In combination, an elevator car, a hoistswitch, and efiect automatic car stop at a landing predetermined by said manually controlled switch.

SI' In an elevator system. the combination with the car, a hoisting motor, a car switch to initiate start of the car, a switch automatically to continue movement of the car rendered operable by centering the car switch, and means automatically to adjust said switch in accordance with the load and to time its opening operation to discontinue the hoisting operation sooner for a heavy load descending and a light load ascending than for a heavy load ascending and a light load descending. 5

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 17 day of Au ust, 1922. CLARENCE R. ALI AWAY. 

